NEET-UG paper leak: Four AIIMS Patna students in CBI custody; hostel rooms sealed

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) questioned four AIIMS Patna students on Thursday, today, July 18, in connection with the NEET-UG paper leak case, officials said. It is reported that three MBBS third-year students and one from the second year were taken to the CBI office for questioning in connection with the case, PTI reported.

According to officials, the students were picked up from their hostel rooms in the presence of senior faculty members, who had been informed that the students were needed for the probe. The agency has sealed their hostel rooms as well, they said.

Giving more details, AIIMS Patna Director GK Paul said, "The CBI has taken away four AIIMS Patna students. Chandan Singh, Rahul Anant, and Kumar Shanu are third-year students and Karan Jain is a second-year student."

He said a senior officer had sent them photographs and mobile numbers of the students. An inspector and a CBI team took the students in the presence of the dean, hostel warden and the OSD to the director, Paul said adding that the students are with the CBI and are yet to return, PTI reported. 

The move comes two days after the CBI arrested Pankaj Kumar alias Aditya, a 2017-batch civil engineer from the National Institute of Technology Jamshedpur, who allegedly stole the NEET-UG paper from the NTA trunk in Hazaribagh, the officials said. Additionally, the CBI has also arrested one Raju Singh, who allegedly helped Kumar steal the paper, from Hazaribagh, the officials said.Meanwhile, today several petitions concerning NEET-UG re-exam were heard by the Supreme Court. The bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud posted the matter to be heard on Monday, July 22 and directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to declare centre-wise and city-wise results by noon of July 20.